Your Catholic Herald salutes our priest jubilarians who are marking anniversaries in the priesthood this year. The information comes from a biographical form submitted by the priests in response to an inquiry from your Catholic Herald. Congratulations to all the jubilarians and thank you for your service.

65 yearsClass of 1946

Fr. Joseph L. Baran

Born in Milwaukee to Joseph and Mathilda (Karas) Baran, Fr. Joseph L. Baran has three sisters. He attended St. Sebastian School, Milwaukee, Marquette High School, Milwaukee, and St. Bonaventure High School, Sturtevant. Fr. Baran continued his education at Saint Francis de Sales Seminary, St. Francis, and was ordained June 7, 1947, at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Milwaukee.

Fr. Baran began his priestly ministry as assistant pastor at Holy Family Parish, Cudahy, 1947-1964, followed by assignments as assistant pastor at St. Joseph, West Allis, 1964-1965, and St. Stanislaus Parish, Racine, 1965-1968; and pastor at St. Wenceslaus Parish, Ripon, 1968-1970; St. Clare Parish, Wind Lake, 1970 until he retired from active ministry in January 1996.

Fr. Baran also served as chaplain, Knights of Columbus Immaculate Heart of Mary Council in South Milwaukee, Racine unit of Daughters of Isabella; charter chaplain, Pope Pius XII Council; religious guidance instructor, St. Mary Academy, Notre Dame and Pius XI high schools; member, Archdiocesan Grievance Committee, Priest Senate and Catholic Herald Working Board. He edited the alumni news for Salesianum, a journal of the Saint Francis Seminary Alumni Association, 1969-1986.

Fr. Charles D. Loehr

Born in Dotyville to Anton and Laura Loehr, Fr. Loehr has a brother, Marianist Br. Peter Loehr and seven deceased brothers and sisters. He attended St. Lawrence Seminary High School, Mt. Calvary, and studied at Saint Francis Seminary, St. Francis. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 7, 1947, at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Milwaukee.

He taught religion at Messmer High School, Milwaukee, 1950-1959. He was the Catholic Youth Organization director in district 12, 1968-1979. He lives in Mullet Lake, east of Dotyville.

Fr. John W. Rausch

Born in New Berlin to John and Eva (Biwer) Rausch, Fr. Rausch has six brothers, Lowell, Harland, Monty, Delbert, Leon and Kenneth, and two sisters, Muriel and Dolores. He attended Holy Apostles Grade School, New Berlin, and continued his education at Saint Francis Minor and Major Seminary, St. Francis, and Marquette University, Milwaukee. Fr. Rausch was ordained June 7, 1947, at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Milwaukee.

“I just thank our Lord and Savior, our Blessed Mother and the Holy Spirit for all the graces I received,” Fr. Rausch said. “As I said, in print – in your paper, at my 50th anniversary: I would do it all over again – but better!”

Fr. Edward F. Sippel

Born in Fond du Lac to Louis and Della Sippel, Fr. Edward F. Sippel has one brother, John. He attended St. Lawrence Seminary High School, Saint Francis Seminary Minor and Major, Milwaukee. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 7, 1947.

He retired in 1991 but continued as part-time chaplain to the retired Sisters of St. Agnes, Fond du Lac, 1993-2008.

Fr. Charles Verhalen

60 yearsClass of 1952

Fr. John Schmitz

Born in Lannon to Albert and Kathryn Schmitz, Fr. Schmitz has siblings James, Jerry, Donald, Annetta and Betty.

He attended Lannon Junior High School, Lannon, and studied at Saint Francis Minor Seminary and Saint Francis Major Seminary. He was ordained to the priesthood on Feb. 17, 1952, at Saint Francis Major Seminary.

As a senior priest, he was also a temporary administrator at St. John Parish, Byron; St. James Parish, Oakfield; St. Mary Parish, Lomira; St. Theresa Parish, Theresa; St. Joseph Parish, Waupun; St. Brendan Parish, Brendan.

Fr. Schmitz has spent some time in prison ministry at Waupun, Dodge Correction Institution and Red Granite Correctional Institution.

“You are a priest forever,” Fr. Schmitz said, reflecting on his ministry. “Now, as a senior priest, I offer Mass daily in my home chapel or help out weekday and weekend Masses in about a 60 mile radius, even into Madison and Green Bay dioceses.”

According to Fr. Schmitz, he was born on a dairy farm, the first of six children.

“The parish church and public grade school were next to each other, just over a mile from home,” Fr. Schmitz said. “Our family attended the early Sunday Mass. Mother served her turn as president of the St. James Parish Christian Mothers Society, and Dad belonged to the Holy Name Society.”

Fr. Schmitz said when he and his brothers were old enough they served Mass every Sunday.

“At home we prayed the rosary together, especially in Lent, and then attended Stations of the Cross and Benediction Sunday afternoons,” Fr. Schmitz said. “First Friday morning we got up an hour earlier for prayer before milking cows and other farm chores. Thus, my priestly vocation.”

His 60th anniversary will be celebrated at the 12:30 p.m. Mass at St. Catherine of Siena, Ripon, on Sunday, June 10.

50 yearsClass of 1962

Fr. Gerald Brittain

Born in Milwaukee to the late Earl and the late Betty (Borzick) Brittain, Fr. Gerald Brittain has one brother, David Brittain, and one sister, Coreen Ebert. He attended Holy Rosary School, Milwaukee, before entering Saint Francis Minor and Major Seminary, St. Francis, and was ordained May 26, 1962, at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Milwaukee.

Fr. Brittain began his priestly ministry as associate pastor at St. Mark Parish, Kenosha, 1962-1969. He also served as associate pastor, St. Joseph Parish, Racine, 1969-1976; associate pastor, St. Mary Parish, Kenosha, 1976-1983; pastor, St. Mary Parish, Kenosha, 1983-1995; and pastor, Holy Angels Parish, West Bend, 1995 to present.

“My calling found its origins in my curiosity about the idea of God and how would we serve him in liturgy. I recognized this calling when, after eighth grade, we moved right next to the seminary and I was dropped, so to speak, on the doorstep there,” Fr. Brittain said. “I was shaped by a very traditional education and then the restudying of everything which was Vatican II, which I found to be a huge blessing and great opportunity. I hope that my reflections and musings about God – Father, Son, Spirit of Love – and celebrating him in liturgy have been helpful to those I have known and tried to serve over these 50 years. I have been blessed with good health and hope to continue the conversation ad multos annos (for many years).”

In celebration of his jubilee, Fr. Brittain presided and preached at all weekend Masses at Holy Angels Church, West Bend, June 2 and 3, “since the Eucharist is the banquet I share,” and had a Sunday afternoon reception.

Fr. Michael Grellinger

Born in Milwaukee to Alvin and Ruth Grellinger, Fr. Grellinger has siblings James, Susan and Cecile. He attended Marquette University High School, Milwaukee, and Saint Francis Minor and Major Seminary, St. Francis. He was ordained on May 26, 1962.

“The other day at the Tyme-out Center I was talking with a couple of kids. One asked me, ‘Would you become a priest again if you had the ability to start over again?’ I didn’t hesitate for a moment and replied, ‘Definitely!’”

Fr. Grellinger said he’s enjoyed his 50 years as a priest.

“Sure, there were some moments that weren’t so good, but overall I wouldn’t trade my vocation for anything,” Fr. Grellinger said. “I worked with youth in my first years in parishes and had the privilege of serving them in a special way with Fr. John Endejan in the CYO office for 13 years running sports leagues and other events including the Search Retreat Movement, including 360 evenings of recollection for high schoolers, plus over 50 days of recollection for eighth graders at the seminary.”

“I had the privilege of adding to St. Charles Church in Hartland and building from scratch Queen of Apostles Church in Pewaukee,” Fr. Grellinger said. “I acted as an EMT for the Hartland Fire Department bring the sacrament of the sick in the ambulance.”

Fr. Matthew Lamb

Born in Washington, D.C., to Matthew C. and Mary (Lonergan) Lamb, Fr. Matthew Lamb has one brother, Gregory Lamb, and one sister, Mary Helen Tehven. Just before his 15th birthday, Fr. Lamb entered the Trappist Monastery of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit in Conyers, Ga., May 1952, where he continued his education, and was ordained Aug. 14, 1962, in the Abbey Church of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit in Conyers, Ga.

He also studied at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, 1966, before doing doctoral studies at Wilhelms University in Munster, Germany, 1974.

Fr. Lamb was incardinated in the Milwaukee Archdiocese while he was associate professor in the theology department at Marquette University, Milwaukee, 1974-1985; and was a professor at Boston College, 1985-2004. He has been professor and chair of theology, Ave Maria University, Ave Maria, Fla., since 2004.

Fr. Lamb received an honorary doctorate from Franciscan University of Steubenville, 2002; was honored with a Festschrift (book), co-edited by Michael Dauphinais and Matthew Levering, “Wisdom and Holiness, Science and Scholarship: Essays in Honor of Matthew L. Lamb”; named to the Cardinal Maida Chair at Ave Maria University, 2011; was visiting associate professor at the Divinity School, the University of Chicago; a Walsh-Price Fellow at the School of Theology, Maryknoll, N.Y.; lectured at universities in Europe and North and Central America; and written several books and published more than 145 articles.

Fr. Marvin Lazarski

Born in Milwaukee to John and Irene Lazarski, Fr. Lazarski has two sisters, Laverne and Vivian. He attended Marquette University and Georgetown University simultaneously, and Saint Francis Minor and Major Seminary. He was ordained on May 26,1962.

Fr. Lazarski began his priestly ministry at St. Leonard Parish, Muskego, 1962-1963; Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, Milwaukee, 1963-1965; St. Paul Parish, Milwaukee, 1965-1968; he was a teacher at Messmer High School, Milwaukee, 1968-1973; he was a teacher at St. Joseph High School, Kenosha, 1973-1981; St. Mary Academy and Cardinal Stritch University, 1981-1983; St. Lawrence Parish, Milwaukee, 1985-1990; St. Gerard Parish, Milwaukee, 1990-1997; Archdiocesan Cemetery System, 1997-present.

He celebrated his jubilee on Monday, May 28 at St Adalbert Cemetery-Holy Family Chapel.

Franciscan Fr. Paul Maslac

Born in Lijublijenica, Herzegovina, as a child, Franciscan Fr. Paul Maslac traveled to Italy where he completed grade school in Grottomare.

He started high school in Italy and graduated from St. Joseph Seminary, Westmont, Ill., after arriving in the U.S. in 1951. Fr. Maslac continued his studies at Rye Beach, New Hampshire; St. Bonaventure University, N.Y.; and completed his theological studies at Holy Name College, Washington D.C. He was ordained into the priesthood on March 17, 1962.

Fr. Maslac has been the director of the Croatian Franciscan Printery in Chicago since 1982 and from 1990-2006, he was the spiritual director of the Croatian Catholic Union.

Fr. Daniel Murphy

Born in Omaha, Neb., to Edward and Hazel (Bunderson) Murphy, Fr. Daniel Murphy attended Saint Francis Major Seminary and was ordained May 26, 1962, at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Milwaukee.

Born in Racine to Russell and Ruth Venne, Fr. Venne has one brother, Fr. Doug Venne and four sisters Jeanne Zahalka, Claire Gavigan, Germaine Kesser and Judy Ballard.

He attended St. Catherine High School, Racine; received a bachelor’s degree from Saint Francis Seminary, a licentiate in sacred theology from the Pontifical North American College in Rome. He also attended the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome. He was ordained a priest on Dec. 20, 1961 at St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome.

“As I celebrate 50 years as a priest the one word that comes to mind is gratitude,” Fr. Venne said. “I am grateful to God for the grace and blessings of being a priest and the joy of serving so many wonderful people. I am most grateful for having a loving, caring and supportive family.”

Fr. Venne said he feels privileged to serve the parishioners and parishes during his years.

“My gratitude also includes Pope John XXIII and the Second Vatican Council for opening ministries in the church for greater participation in the liturgy and other areas of church life for all people,” Fr. Venne said. “The evidence of the people embracing their baptismal role has been most edifying and continues to grow as more and more of the laity take leadership positions in the parishes and serving the needs of our society.”

Fr. Venne said the priests and sisters he’s worked with have been wonderful examples to him of Christian service.

“Lastly, I would like to thank St. Anthony Parish in Pewaukee and the pastor, Fr. Tony Zimmer, for hosting my 50th anniversary celebration,” Fr. Venne said.

His 50th jubilee will be celebrated at 10:45 a.m. on Sunday, June 24.

Fr. James Vojtik

Born in Milwaukee to Edmund John and Helen Marie (Guenther) Vojtik, Fr. James Vojtik has one brother, Edmund J. Vojtik. He attended kindergarten at Keefe Avenue School, Milwaukee, and grades one through eight at St. Boniface, Milwaukee. He continued his education at Saint Francis Minor and Major Seminary, St. Francis, and was ordained May 26, 1962, at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Milwaukee.

“I’m glad to have been of service. I early on determined I would not stay more than one term in any assignment,” Fr. Vojtik said. “I thought people deserved variety and so did I.”

A Mass and celebration of Fr. Vojtik’s jubilee was held at Belgium Village Park, May 27.

Salvatorian Fr. Hugh Birdsall

Franciscan Fr. Sante DeAngelis

Jesuit Fr. Robert L. Faricy

Carmelite Fr. Patrick Farrell

Jesuit Fr. David H. Gau

Augustinian Fr. G. Jerome Knies

Benedictan Fr. Kevin Murphy

40 yearsClass of 1972

Jesuit Fr. Ronald R. Bieganowski

Camillan Fr. Joseph Bisoffi

Fr. Dennis Dirkx

Fr. Jerome Kienzle

Fr. Ronald Kotecki

Salvatorian Fr. Carey Lahrs

Schoenstatt Fr. Gerold Landsch

Fr. Julio Miralbes-Drago

Fr. Norman Oswald

Jesuit Fr. Nicholas F. Pope

Fr. Paul Raczynski

Franciscan Fr. Paul Reczek

Fr. John VanAbel

Jesuit Fr. Karl J. Voelker

25 yearsClass of 1987

Fr. James Connell

Born in Chicago to the late William J. and late Marie S. Connell, Fr. Connell has two brothers, William and John Connell. He attended Our Lady Help of Christians Grade School and St. Ignatius College Prepartory High School, both in Chicago, before earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Xavier University, Cincinnati, and a master’s degree in accounting from Roosevelt University, Chicago. Fr. Connell had 15 years of experience as a certified public accountant and management consultant in Chicago and Milwaukee before he entered the seminary, the North American College in Rome. He was also married in the church, divorced after six years and granted an annulment by the church that allowed him to be ordained. He was ordained July 5, 1987, at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Milwaukee. After his ordination, he returned to Rome and earned a degree in canon law from the Pontifical Gregorian University.

Fr. Connell began his priestly ministry as associate pastor at St. Sebastian Parish, Milwaukee, 1988-1992. He studied canon law at St. Paul University in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, 1992-1994, before serving as vice chancellor of the Milwaukee Archdiocese, 1994-2000; and as pastor, Holy Name of Jesus and St. Clement parishes, Sheboygan, 2000 to present.

“I have been blessed with a happy life that has had many interesting chapters, and with many more interesting chapters to come, I hope,” wrote Fr. Connell, reflecting on his ministry.

Fr. Philaret Littlefield

Fr. Michael Petrie

Born in Chilton to Francis and Cecilia Petrie, Fr. Michael Petrie has siblings Mark, Joseph, David and Diane. He attended Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah High School, Saint Francis de Sales College and Saint Francis Seminary, St. Francis. He was ordained a priest on May 15, 1987.

“It has indeed been a blessing to serve the Kingdom of God with the many parishioners, pastoral ministers, deacons and priests from these parishes, as well as the clergy of the other Christian churches in these communities,” Fr. Petrie said. “It’s my hope that all of us continue to seek out ways to live God’s kindness, mercy and justice. May we never fail to point out the many ways that the characteristics of God’s reign are already present in our world.”

He celebrated his jubilee on May 19 at Sacred Heart Parish, Horicon.

Fr. Glenn E. M. Powers

Born in Milwaukee to Gerald and the late Sylvia (Moulkenthein) Powers, Fr. Glenn Powers has three brothers, Doug, Keith and Steve Powers, and one sister, Beth Herndon. He attended Webster Elementary School in Wauwatosa, Wilson Elementary School in Brookfield, and Brookfield Central Jr. High School, Brookfield. He continued his education at DeSales Preparatory Seminary, 1976-1979, and attended, simultaneously from 1979-1983, Saint Francis de Sales College Minor Seminary, St. Francis, and Cardinal Stritch College and Marquette University, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts and a major in philosophy from Marquette. Fr. Powers received the Monsignor Schulien Award the same day he graduated with a Master of Divinity and honors from Saint Francis de Sales Major Seminary, St. Francis, 1983-1987. He was ordained May 15, 1987, at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Milwaukee.

“The past 25 years of ministry afforded a tremendous opportunity to serve others in the name of Christ. It was an honor to be named pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish, for my great-grandmother, Antonina Shimanski, (nee: Montkus) was a proud Lithuanian parishioner,” Fr. Powers said. “Truly, the church is at its best when it shares both joys and sorrows in common, seeing all through the lens of the Paschal Mystery (the dying and rising of Jesus). This year brings other hardships and opportunities. May we continue to love one another, as the Lord commanded us to do.”

A Mass and celebration of his jubilee was held and concelebrated by Fr. Mike Dineen, at Immaculate Conception Parish, Sheboygan, May 20.

Fr. Dominic Thomas

Born in Koorachund, Kerala, India, to Thomas Matthew and Theresa Thomas, Fr. Thomas has siblings Joseph, Mathew, Jose, Fr. Jaison, Misso, Elsie, Pushpa, Ciceli, Reni and Leilma. He attended the University of Kerala, Kerala India; Dharmaram College, Bangalore, India; University of Madras, Chenni, India; and Yale University, New Haven, Conn. He went to MCBS Minor Seminary, Kottayam, India and MCBS St. Joseph Major, Kottayam, India. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 7, 1987.